Page 13 of Unraveling the Truth About Love
“I’m sorry. I don’t knowwhy I did that. You looked nervous, and I guess I was just trying to let you know you didn’t need to be.”
She dropped her eyes. “It’s okay.”
“Riley, I’m nervous, too, but there’s really no need for us to be. We’ve known each other for years. Let’s just go out and pretend we’re back in Weston, hanging out at the concert.” He’d felt so comfortable with her back then. He almost wished they wereback in Weston now. Seeing that tight dress hugging every inch of her body only made him more confused. He battled his growing desire to pick up where they’d left off in Weston, to have that close friendship that might have quickly become so much more if they’d remained back in their hometown. He was her boss. He had to walk a fine line.
She fidgeted with a seam on her hip. “That sounds…great.I was really nervous. I didn’t know if this was a date or a business dinner. I know that’s silly. I mean, why would it be a date?”
Josh felt like he’d been punched in the gut. He’d thought of the evening as something of a date—a date that had been saddled with Peter’s dinner engagement. He considered telling her as much, but she was already moving more comfortably, less constricted by nerves.
“Shall we go?” He hated the disappointment he heard in his own voice and made a mental note to check his emotions before speaking again. Had he been out of the real dating game for too long? Had he not asked her on a real date? Mildly annoyed with himself, he followed her out of the building and into the waiting car.
Outside, Josh opened the car door for Riley. “You have a driver?”
The shockin her wide eyes was so different from the privileged look on his typical dates’ faces. They’d expect nothing less, while Riley probably found it excessive.
“I wasn’t sure how comfortable you’d be in a cab,” Josh explained.
“I don’t mind cabs so much. It’s the subway that I still need to conquer,” Riley answered.
Josh chalked up another thing he liked about her.
